Sorry it is so goofy, but the link below will lead you to the message I posted in the Gallery with a drawing of my current kitchen layout.

Blessings
Shakota

Here is a link that might be useful: Here is where the message with the drawing is located.

How about un-centering the sink on the left wall and putting the dishwasher right next to the sink? It is the most convenient place for a dishwasher.

Can you use the desk area for your fridge?

May not be the best idea, but I would switch places of the sink and cooktop. Then put the wall oven under the cooktop and the dishwasher where the wall oven is currently. If you have a smooth cooktop, you will have the appearance of a much longer workspace. If you don't want to move that many appliances, what about a smaller (one bowl) sink and put the dw to the left of the sink. You have to think about how you will access the corner cabinet space

I am not sure how much you are willing to change if anything?
If you want to leave everything as is you could park a portable between the door to the den and the pantry I guess, but the suggestion to move the fridge to the desk area and put one there is the next least-intervention option that I see although it would require some plumbing.

Can you, as others have asked, put the fridge where the desk is and make that entire area appear built in (unless of course you are using an actual existing desk) and then put the DW where the fridge currently is.
I don't suppose you can close off your outside entry door, put that where the window is, then move the fridge down and put the DW where the fridge was.

Thank you all for the ideas. I was using the desk for computer repairs and homework space for myself and the boys. Now that we all have laptops and wifi, the desk is going to be removed. I suggested moving the fridge/freezer to where the desk is, running the 1/4" water line inside a 1/2" PVC line through the attic. The wall behind the current f/f location is the laundry room wall. With the f/f there, I was going to put a d/w in the original f/f location. Then all I would have to do is replace the entire U-shape countertop and create a bookshelf below the cabinets above the original f/f location. That got nix'd by the boss.

As for swapping the sink with cooktop location and installing a d/w in the wall oven spot... I thought about that one but it did not get rave reviews. I better put my former 15 years of selling footwear into action, huh?

As for moving the door, I do not want to sound whiny, but we really want to avoid those type of changes due to the old problem of TIME... Time, Injury, Money, Emotions...

Keep the ideas coming, please.

Blessings,
Shakota

PS. Threebees, how did you get the image in the thread?

I'll take a stab at it.

How about a layout something like this.

Here is a link that might be useful: layout

What are your wife's suggestions then? I am not sure what she is thinking unless what she really wants is an entire kitchen renovation? :)

I really do not know what exactly she wants. All I know is she complains about the dishes and the wall oven and the cooktop. My eldest son and I painted the kitchen a few years ago while the wife and youngest were out of town for a baseball tourney. It was a total surprise. See, the kitchen has soffits above the honey color plain cabinets, 1959 original plaster on gypsum, and a paneled accent wall (the wall the desk is against). The kitchen was white with an ivy border and a sherbet green accent wall. My son and I chose butter yellow paint for the kitchen, with red curtains that have two white horizontal stripes near the bottom. Before painting, we cleaned everything with TSO substitute. The ceiling (smooth ceilings throughout the house... I LOVE IT!) was primed and then given two coats. A 30" ceiling fan with lights was installed in place of the single bulb fixture located in the middle of the fridge/sink/stove work area. I must say, for an SAP administrator, and a high school wrestler getting it done on the sly, we made the kitchen look darn good. i just want to take it to the next level for my wifey. See, I just earned my BBA and she deserves something really nice.

Blessings,
Shakota

Here are some pictures of the "after" state of the kitchen. Sorry for the "pinstriping" in one of the pictures. I have no idea what happened to the picture. My son and i picked out the accessories too. By the way, the little light in the next to last picture was where the fan is now. I removed an old yet weird chandelier that was over my desk. Best move I ever made. The cabinets are original. I think the oven and cook top are 80s era. The monster fridge/freezer is about three years old.

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Blessings,
Shakota

you use 'only' and 5'9" together?

'only' belongs with my 5' body...lol!

the fridge on the other wall would sure give her more counter top - and a dw. next reno you could run shallow cabs from the fridge over to the window wall and give her more counter space and more storage too.

it'd also keep you and the boys out of her cleaning/cooking area. unless she decides to assign you and the boys to those chores... lol!

you could replace the cooktop/walloven with a range, move it all down a bit and put a dw in the corner?

that's my best idea at this time of night. or morning...

how about 2 doors on the pantry? they wouldn't take up so much room when open and cover the other doorway...

i think it's awesome that you and your son did that for her - as a surprise to boot!

I like the paint color you used...and i'm glad your kitchen isn't really striped like it is in the pic!

"I really do not know what exactly she wants. All I know is she complains about the dishes and the wall oven and the cooktop..."

Based on the photos, I think I know why she's complaining about the oven & cooktop...

(1) The wall oven is mounted too high to comfortably use

(2) The cooktop has no work or emergency landing space on the left (or even "elbow room"). Plus it's an electric coil cooktop...not very popular anymore.

(3) Dishes...does she complain about the dishes themselves, their current storage location, or something else? Is the DW in the Prep Zone (between the cooktop and sink)? If so, perhaps that's the source of her complaint...trying to prep & cook while someone else is fiddling with the dishes in the DW. Or maybe it's the dirty dishes in the sink that she has to dodge while prepping and cooking.

I think you need to sit down and talk to your wife about this. I do not recommend going out on your own (again) and "surprising" her...this is definitely not an area that should be a "surprise". I am sure she will want to be intimately involved in the planning and installation of the kitchen.

Who uses the kitchen the most (prepping & cooking)? If your wife, then I think you should let her have a majority say in how the kitchen is designed...both functionally and aesthetically. If you, then it should be you with the major "say". At the very least, make it a 50-50. However, if your wife does most of the cooking, listen to her b/c you don't want to create a dysfunctional kitchen and have her still be unhappy working in it.

Could you post a layout with all the dimensions labeled? Widths of windows/doorways/walls and the distances between the windows/doorways/walls.

See the "Layout Help" link in the "Read Me" thread. It talks about how to come up with a layout, post it here, and what information we need.

But, talk to your wife before posting any more...I really don't think you should go any further without her very important input. (The most important input if she does most of the prepping & cooking.)

Here is a link that might be useful: Read Me If You're New To GW Kitchens!

Oh, and BTW...you're probably not receiving emails of follow-up postings, even though you checked the box requesting them. This is b/c you don't have the email option turned on in your profile. See the "Read Me" thread for more information. Scroll down to the post (& link) with the subject "Getting Emails Sent To You...3-step Process".

Am I right in thinking that there is no DW currently?

Am I right in thinking that there is only 1.5" feet between that top window and the wall so that a refrigerator can't go where the desk is?

(Why I suggested the above layout.)

The current layout is dysfunctional. What options are there to move things like walls and doors? Ideally soffits would go----what is behind the soffits?

There are kitchen guidelines that you should read that give details. Maybe someone has a link to them?

The wifey shot down moving the fridge and does not want to change the footprint. UGH!!! I guess I will either go with an 18" DW or just scrap the possible project.

The only dishwasher in the house now is the two handed models... except for the pre-washers... two cats and a greyhound.

Just kidding on the pre-washers.

Blessings,
Shakota

Shakota, you've probably made a decision by now, but it occurs to me that noone suggested the solution that I would choose, namely, instead of cabinets under the wall oven, put the dishwasher under the oven. Is there a logistical problem with that?